British Prime Minister Keir Starmer today unveiled his long-delayed defence investment plan, promising a £15 billion increase in funding to better equip Britain for the wars of the future — a plan he described as his legacy. In what is likely to be the last major policy announcement of his tenure, Starmer said, following last-minute talks between the Treasury and new Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis, that the plan has been improved and goes further than a previous document that led to the resignation of his predecessor, John Healey.
Starmer: When the world is arming and aggression is rising, the best way to avoid war is to prepare for war
Starmer will take his plan — which envisions spending of nearly £80 billion per year by 2029 — to Ankara for the NATO summit on 7 and 8 July, where he still wants to send the message that Britain is on track to meet its commitment to raise defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035. However, with his expected successor Andy Burnham set to take office as early as 20 July, Starmer acknowledged that future governments could “build on” his plan. Some critics argue that the strategy, delayed by more than nine months, is too little, too late.
“When the world is arming and aggression is rising, the best way to avoid war is to prepare for war — the best way to defend ourselves is to deter: to have the power to make our adversaries think twice before they act,” Starmer told a defence-focused audience in southern England. Praised by both the Chancellor and the Defence Secretary for delivering the investment plan, Starmer said it will provide £5 billion in funding for investment in drones and autonomous weapons, create a hybrid Royal Navy, and make the army more lethal. It will also strengthen Britain’s nuclear deterrent and boost a programme to develop a next-generation stealth fighter jet for the Royal Air Force, while creating jobs and driving economic growth across the country.
Matt Roberts of the GMB union welcomed the plan, saying it offers “some stability for a sector surrounded by uncertainty.” “The challenge now is delivery — workers will judge this plan on real jobs, real investment, and real outcomes.”
